Master And Apprentice
by Tatsumaki-sama
Summary: Based on Teen Titans' episode Apprentice. Slade forces an unwilling Robin to work for him under the threat that if he doesn't, his friends will pay the price.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Young Justice or any of its characters.

**Master And Apprentice****  
**

Dick Grayson munched on his cereal, watching the morning scene unfold with amusement.

Bruce was fumbling with his tie, fighting back a yawn as last night had been a long night dealing with a team up with Two-Face and Killer Croc. Meanwhile, he was trying to remind Dick to finish his homework as Alfred was trying to get him to at least eat some breakfast before he left for an important meeting for Wayne Tech.

" I won't be back until late evening if everything goes well," Bruce was saying, dodging the toast Alfred was waving in front of him with superhuman speed. " After school, I want you finished studying for your Math test and draw up a plan for your Science project before you meet up with Young Justice for training."

" But that's not due until next month! And the test won't be until next Tuesday."

He had to pause to swallow. Somehow Alfred managed to shove the toast into his mouth. " Anything can happen by then. I'll pick you up at Mount Justice around nine."

Grumbling, he went back to his cereal. " Fine."

Bruce ruffled Dick's hair before he headed to the car, followed by Alfred and a bowl of fruit.

~.~.~

It was a good thing that Dick had snuck an extra Robin suit into a hidden compartment in his locker when school was over and a sudden explosion rocked the nearby bank.

It was another good thing that Bruce allowed him to tackle minor robberies on his own.

It was _not_ a good thing that Bruce strictly forbade him from dealing with any costumed criminals.

And here he was, dealing with one of his least favourite people.

" Slade," he growled.

The masked criminal looked as he always did, a slimy and twisted figure in black and grey armour. Slade had been causing some trouble with Batman, performing thefts and assaults at ease, all to mock the great Batman. They had clashed five times before and all of them ended with Slade slipping past Batman's watch, leaving Batman infuriated.

But in the corner of his mind, there was something about this criminal that made Robin's skin crawl. More than once, he caught Slade looking directly at him and ignoring Batman altogether. And he would love to corner Robin and taunt him before Batman arrived and their little game of cat and mouse would continue again. He didn't know why but he absolutely hated Slade with a passion.

" I'm surprised. I expected to see Batman." Slade's drawl was smooth and sweet like honey. But twice as deadly and filled with poison. " But this will make things so much easier."

Quick as lightning, Slade charged towards him, easily swatting away Robin's batarangs and smoke bombs. And before Robin knew it, he was suddenly in front of him, giving him no time to react. He reached out and grabbed Robin's head to slam him to the floor with a sickening crack.

" I heard that you've joined a little group. Young Justice, I believe it's called." He ignored Robin's muffled grunts and snarling curses. " I was quite disappointed that you haven't been on the scene lately. Has Batman been keeping you safe and hidden?"

He was more concentrated trying to twist free from Slade's grip (Batman was so going to have his head later for getting distracted and allowing the enemy to get this close to him to catch him off guard). " Why the interest?" Robin growled, kicking out his legs and jamming his elbows against Slade's chest who was barely fazed.

" For some time now, I have been searching for ... an apprentice." Slade bent down so that his mouth was right next to Robin's ear and he shuddered as he felt Slade's warm breath touch his skin. " And, Robin ... I've chosen you. Congratulations."

With a snarl, Robin managed to throw Slade off with a well-placed detonator and leaped away to a safe distance. His blood was boiling in his ears and he spat out his next words. " Why would I even consider joining you?"

Slade casually brushed the dust from his shirt. " Because I have the right leverage to convince you." From his belt, he took out a strange device. " You see, little Robin, last week, when you and your friends went to disarm a certain bomb in Jump City, none of you realized that the machine guarding the "bomb" fired a particular set of rays at your friends."

Robin's eyes widened. He remembered the bomb incident last week all too well. They were all suspicious that the bomb had been a dud and those rays didn't do anything harmful and if Slade was behind it all ... " What did you do to them?" he whispered.

" The rays contained nanoscopic probes that once they made contact with your friends, they entered into their bloodstream. And once inside, they can easily kill their victim with a simple push with this button." Slade gave the device a little tweak. " Want me to test it out?"

Robin watched with mounted horror as Slade's thumb reached up to dangle above the red button that would inevitably kill his friends within seconds. " No! Don't do it!" he yelled.

" Say please first," Slade taunted.

He gritted out of his teeth, hating himself for resorting to begging. " _Please_, Slade. Don't do it."

If Robin didn't know better, it appeared that he was smiling cheerfully under his mask and he slowly and dramatically removed his thumb from the button. Robin let out a tiny sigh.

" It's quite simple," Slade continued, effectively destroying his brief moment of relief. " If you join me and you never speak to the Justice League or your friends again, I will let them to live. But if you try to rebel or object to any of my orders, I'll kill them and I'll make you watch. So, do we have a deal then?"

His mind raced. What should he do? If he tried to fight and steal the device, Slade would press the button right there and then. If he tried to escape right now, Slade will activate the probes. But if he joined Slade, he would be selling his soul to the devil. There was no one to come to the rescue, no back-up plan and nothing to make this situation better.

" Hurry Robin," Slade lightly chided. " We don't have all day. And I'm not sure if my thumb might just slip."

Finally, his shoulders sagged in defeat and it took every self-control he had to say his next words.

" What do you want me to do?" Robin asked in a hollow voice.

~.~.~

" Where is he?" Wally impatiently asked, noisily munching through a bag of chips, much to Artemis's annoyance. " What's taking Robin so long?"

" Doesn't he have school?" Superboy inquired.

" Yeah but he should be here by now. School's been over for more than an hour now."

" Maybe him and Batman are working on a case?" Artemis suggested. She was absently fiddling with the remote control, spinning it around her fingers. They knew her well enough to know that she was just as impatient as Wally.

" They would have notified us," Kaldur pointed out. He alone appeared calm. " We can start the training without them."

A rumble of thunder in the distance made Megan glance out the window. " I hope Robin comes soon." Her lips were curved into a worrying frown. " A storm is coming."

~.~.~

" Are you ready?" Slade asked, anticipation mounting in his voice. He appeared thrilled, as if he was drinking up the distant rumble of thunder and the dull flash of lightning.

Robin shifted uncomfortably in his new uniform. It matched Slade's uniform, down to the color and the design. But it didn't match him at all. " Yes," he muttered, hoping this would be quiet and painless and that his stomach would stop twisting so he could gather his scattered thoughts together.

And that the one person he couldn't stop thinking about would not be there to see him commit this crime.

Slade clasped a hand on his shoulder. " It will go fine, Robin. Our first mission together," he soothed.

It only made Robin feel more nauseated.

He gave Robin's shoulder another squeeze. Then hoisting a launcher, he aimed directly at one of the upmost windows of Wayne Tech. With three pulls of the trigger, three detonators were planted neatly, embedded in the glass.

" Here we go," Slade whispered, a horribly eager look gleamed in his eye.

_BOOM!_

Innocent bystanders screamed from below as a rain of glass fell upon them. A trail of smoke blurred the surrounding sky and enveloped the building. It was then Slade and Robin made their move.

They flew through the cracked windows. A woman shrieked. Someone yelled. There was coughing and smoke everywhere. " Don't mind us," Slade nonchalantly said to the several people hiding under the tables, cowering at the sight of them.

From the corner of his eye, Robin could see Bruce Wayne (_why did Slade have to pick the room with the undisguised Batman of all rooms? and did he knew Batman's secret? my secret? was that he chose this place to rob so Batman could see me? was this to mock the both of us?_) quietly and quickly inching towards the door near the back.

To change into Batman.

_Please hurry, _Robin begged, desperation melting into his internal voice. _Stop him. Stop this from happening. Stop _**me.**

Unfortunately, Slade saw Bruce too.

With a leap, he landed near the door, kicking it close and gazed down at the frozen Bruce. " Where are you off to in such a hurry, Wayne?" Slade asked in his oiliest voice.

" P-p-please! Don't kill me! I'll – I'll do anything!" Bruce's shrilly, stammering voice would have convinced all but the few who truly knew him. In fact, while his face was torn with sheer horror and panic, his eyes were surprisingly devoid of emotion.

And he was looking at Robin, asking the silent question.

_Why?_

He swallowed thickly, unable to keep the burning sensation rising up his throat.

_Because I have to. _

Just then, two security guards barged in from the side door, batons raised, shouting and rushing towards them.

" Handle the guards, will you?" Slade called over his shoulder, content to mockingly stand above Bruce Wayne both figuratively and literally.

Robin had no choice as he leaped over the table to deal with the people he would have never attacked otherwise._ Robert Daynes_, he thought guiltily, as he knocked out the man with a flying chair. _He always gave me candy and a smile whenever I stopped by at this place for a visit._

The second security guard went down with a solid kick to the stomach. _Kyle McSymthel. Two kids in elementary school. He showed me a picture of them once. The oldest was just a year younger than me._

" Perfect," Slade purred, as the two guards went down with barely a fight. " Just as I had expected of you. And now, one final thing before the curtain falls." From his belt, he drew out a gun. " We can't have a robbery without firing a gun once, can we?" he chuckled to himself, as the terrified people under the table began to flinch and muffle their screams.

He handed the gun to Robin, much to the latter's shock. " The honour is all yours. Why don't you shoot our beloved Mr Wayne for attempting to escape, hmm?"

Feeling cold sweat trickle down his neck, Robin stiffened. The gun in his hands felt foreign and heavy and he just couldn't stop shaking. " W-what?" he choked out. " What about the new technology device? I thought we came here for that. No need to shoot anybody." Bruce's expression did not changed, though his eyes darkened (_with anger? or was it dread?_).

" Why would I bother stealing something I could easily attain any other time?" Slade lazily drawled. He seemed to thrive under the authority he held against Robin and the rest of the hostages in the room. " So go on, little bird. Shoot Mr Wayne," he smoothly goaded. " Unless ... you're trying to stall for time? Hoping that the Bat will come to save the day?"

Even if he was stalling for time, Batman would not show up. At least not with Slade towering over Bruce like a watchdog. He could try to distract Slade, toss a smoke bomb and lunge towards him in a crazied state, hoping to buy Bruce enough time to change. But then Slade could easily press the button to end his friends' lives and eventually put the pieces together to figure out that Bruce Wayne was Batman.

Robin didn't even realize that Slade was circling around him, much like a beast toying with its frightened prey. " Remember, you promised me," Slade murmured for his ears alone. One of his fingers casually brushed against the device that held the fate of his friends. " You swore to me you would obey me."

He couldn't and he wouldn't shoot Bruce. There was absolutely no chance Robin would ever shoot Bruce. For the past four years, he looked to Bruce as his mentor, his teacher, his protector ... and his father. He was there when that fateful day happened and he was there when Robin felt that the pain and loneliness would never end. He taught him not about revenge and hate but about justice and the strength to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. It would be the greatest betrayal for him to do to shoot Bruce with the one weapon that had ended his parents' lives.

But the lives of his friends were at stake. Before meeting them, he never truly fitted in with the other kids in his class. Wally was always there with a joke and to make him forget his troubles, even if it was for a little while. Kaldur was the big brother he never had, always encouraging and keeping him grounded on reality. Megan could brighten his day with a smile and she wasn't afraid to overcome boundaries to pull him into a hug. Superboy, still young and learning, was the one he talk to about anything and not get judged for his opinions. Even he didn't know Artemis for very long, they could both relate as the only two normal humans in their group and he found himself relating to her about many mundane things that he never noticed or cared about until now. They've become an important factor to who he was now and he couldn't let them die like this.

What should he do? What _could_ he do?

Gritting his teeth, Robin made his decision.

His hands shook even more and he was afraid he might drop the gun. Tears pricked the sides of his eyes. From the look that Bruce gave him (both of worry and confusion), he saw that Robin was crying and breaking inside.

_I'm sorry._

He pulled the trigger.

~.~.~.~

**Author's Notes:**

This was a prompt from the yj_anon_meme, where the request was a plot similar to the Teen Titan's episode _Apprentice_ where the villain Slade forced Robin to work for him in order to protect his friends. I couldn't resist using some of the quotes and ideas from the episode itself.

And of course, one from the Joker in _The Dark Knight_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Young Justice or any of its characters.

* * *

" Kent! Where were you?" Perry White, chief editor for the Daily Planet, snapped as he spotted Clark adjusting his tie and glasses from the doorway. " Story of the month and you're busy getting dolled up!"

" Sorry. I was in the washroom," he quickly said. Of course, by washroom he meant rushing to stop Toyman from robbing the city bank.

" Well get over here. It's not every day you hear the news of Bruce Wayne getting shot."

He did a visible double-take. " What?"

" Wayne was having a conference for his new technology that will revolutionize communications for the military. Top secret apparently," Lois Lane filled in, pressing the video to play. " Here's a copy of the surveillance tape that one of our guys managed to get hold of."

Eyes widening, Clark was stunned that the kid who easily flitted past the guards and took them out with a hesitant ease was Robin. And the one leading the show was none other than Slade. His mouth curved into a frown as he watched as Robin shakily held the gun to Bruce with Slade closely encircling him like a preying hawk, whispering in Robin's ear as if goading him to shoot Bruce.

And he did.

Pulled the trigger and a splatter of Bruce's blood hit the wall. He collapsed sideways (Clark couldn't be sure if it was part of Bruce's act or if he did collapse for real) and remained motionless, even as Slade dragged away Robin out the window and even as Lucius Fox reached him to try to stop the flow of blood and the arriving paramedics took him away.

But even though the video was grey and blurred, Clark could distinctively see the pure horror and shock that was written across Robin's face before he leaped down the window and disappeared from view.

" They didn't even take the communication device," Jimmy Olsen exclaimed in disbelief. " Isn't that what they came for?" Clark wondered the same thing.

Lois shook her head at the frozen image of an unconscious Bruce being carried off by the paramedics. " I was never a big fan of Wayne, but I hope he gets better soon."

Clark silently agreed. Just what was going on? Why was Robin with Slade? Did Bruce know about it? Or was he just as confused as Clark?

" Hey! Kent, where are you going! We got this story to do!"

" Important dinner at Ma's! Almost forgot! See you tomorrow!" he shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner and was already flying to Gotham City.

~.~.~

Dinner at Mount Justice was slightly sombre with the still unknown disappearance from Robin. And with no word from either him or Batman, they simply assumed that things were going well. They had finished their training on their own (Black Canary was busy on a mission) and even played a mini hide and seek game outside in the forest area before heading back inside to order some pizza.

After handing out the pizza to everyone, Megan headed towards the television. " Why don't we turn on the TV?" she brightly suggested.

" Please not that girly show, whatever it's called," Wally groaned.

Artemis glared at him. " You got a problem with it?"

" Did I offend you and your show?"

" Wasn't that good of an insult anyways. Besides, I bet that you watch it."

" Hey! Why would I even –?"

Kaldur hushed them as the television opened with the news.

" _Breaking news at Gotham City today_," the female news anchor trilled out. " _Where earlier this afternoon, CEO Bruce Wayne has shot by two mysterious attackers, captured here on the surveillance videos ..._"

Glass shattering and the camera shuddering.

People screaming and ducking under chairs and tables.

Two figures appearing from the smoke.

A young boy taking down the security guards quickly and efficiently.

Before shooting a defenseless Bruce Wayne in the chest.

" _Commissioner Gordon has not been available for questioning though a spokesman for the police has said Bruce Wayne is currently ..._"

They stared at the screen dumbly for a few minutes. They would have recognized the naturally athletic way the young accomplice's body lithely and efficiently moved and the way he fought only in the manner anywhere.

Robin.

" It can't be!" Megan gasped.

" Robin wouldn't have done that," Artemis angrily defended. " He knows better than to shoot somebody – anyone – with a gun."

Wally agreed for once, still gripping his pop can so hard that it crunched. Robin would have never done what he did here (even if he truly was the real Robin).

Especially if it was against his own mentor. He just couldn't have.

" Perhaps we are jumping to conclusions," Kaldur reassured them, once again the voice of reason. But even he held a hint of doubt in his  
otherwise calm voice.

Superboy then threw the remote control so hard that it cracked the television, much to his teammates' surprise.

" That is _not_ Robin!" he snarled before storming off.

~.~.~

Robin retched violently into the toilet, blinking back stinging tears. He shakily wiped away the residue across his mouth, trying not to inhale the stench. Which made him moan and clutch the rim of the toilet again.

He shot Bruce. He shot his adopted father. He held a _gun_ and _used_ it on his mentor.

His original plan was to nick Bruce by the arm. Being Batman, he would pretend it was more unbearable that it actually was and then do a dramatic "faint" so Slade would think the target was down and they would leave peacefully without anyone else getting hurt.

But his aim was off, his fingers slipped and the next thing he knew, Bruce slid down from the wall, leaving a bloody trail from where the bullet had embedded itself in his chest.

Even if he managed to explain this to Bruce, he would never accept him again. He would get sent away or worse, Batman would dismiss him as his partner.

And as a son.

The thought alone made him bend over and eject the remainders of his lunch into the toilet.

" Poor baby bird."

He was just so sick and exhausted Robin didn't even have the strength to tell Slade to leave him alone.

There was a rustle and Slade squeezed next to him in the stall. " You don't have to worry," he assured Robin in what he believed to be a gentle voice. " I too was scared when I first killed. It gets better with time."

He felt two hands pressing "comfortingly" against his lower back and in his frenzied panic, he whipped around so hard that his back slammed into the opposite stall wall, body tense and his mind screaming at him to get as far away from this monster.

Slade chuckled. " So quick," he murmured, making Robin's stomach churn again. " Come. You still have a lot of work to do."

Having just emptied all that he ate and torn between self-disgust and the psychological torture he had endured, Robin's frustrations burst out before he could stop himself. " I stole that stupid gadget for you!" he half-yelled. " I even shot a person for you! What else do you want from me!"

He just knew Slade was smirking. " You know I am hardly ever satisfied, little Robin," he whispered, leaning close enough that his face was right in front of Robin's, leering and mocking.

In his sudden blind fury and disgust, Robin snapped and threw a punch directly at Slade. He easily caught it and twisted Robin's wrist backwards, successfully disabling him. He yelled out a muffled scream of pain, his body instinctively trying to escape, his legs giving way. The next thing he knew, Slade had him pinned on the washroom floor, his knee digging against Robin's back and retaining the solid painful grip on his wrist, bending it to make Robin press his face to the dirty floor and wish it would swallow him.

" This is why I like you, Robin. You're so full of ... _emotion_." Slade breathed the last word, bringing a cold sweat to the back of Robin's neck.

After what happened to be an eternity, Slade finally released Robin, who immediately scrambled to his feet, as far as possible, cradling his bruised and already swollen wrist. He threw the filthiest look he could muster at Slade.

" Now now, Robin. Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" He crossed his arms, much like a disapproving father. " Apologize this instant. Or else," he maliciously added.

Gritting his teeth, he couldn't help but think of all the lovely and brutal things he would love to do to Slade for making him go through this. Think about your friends, he mentally chided himself before forcing himself to look Slade in the eye with his emotions in check. " I'm sorry, Slade," Robin mumbled.

" I can't hear you."

Robin would have loved nothing more than to punch Slade. " I _said_ I am sorry."

" There we go. That wasn't too hard, was it?" Slade gave a little chuckle that made the hairs at Robin's neck stand up.

" Now, there is something I would like you to get for me," he continued. " A present for your master," Slade delightfully purred out the last word. " I left you the coordinates." At this, he placed a metallic wristband around his arm. It clicked softly, pressing coldly against his skin, and Robin knew aside from giving him the coordinates, it was also a tracker. To guarantee that he wouldn't try to escape.

" The rest is up to you." Slade patted Robin's cheek affectionately. " Go make me proud, boy."

Biting back the retort he was sorely tempted to use, Robin silently obeyed and disappeared into the darkness.

~.~.~

" Start from the beginning, My Wayne," Commissioner Gordon patiently said. " What do you remember about this afternoon?"

True to his playboy image, Bruce looked absolutely confused and dumbfound. The paleness of his cheeks and how he looked so tired after the surgery illuminated his kicked puppy dog syndrome. " Uhh. I remember being Hawaii on a cruise surrounded by ladies. One happened to be Victoria Thorner, a model for the famous Caribbean Rose Line. And let me tell you, she's got some lovely -"

" About today's meeting about Wayne Tech's new military communication devices," Gordon interrupted, with a hint of annoyance in his otherwise calm voice.

" Oh! That walkie-talkie thing." Bruce beamed at him. " Yeah, I remember talking to Lucius about it. Then, there was this explosion. And I remember trying to go out to the door for help, but that masked guy stopped me."

Harvey Bullock made a cough that suspiciously sounded like "going out for help, my ass", but Renee Montoya elbowed him to shut him up.

Bruce pretended to be oblivious. He continued. " He was talking something to this weird kid, whoever that kid was. Then, that kid shot me!" He dramatically winced, making a big show of coughing and rubbing his chest before continuing.

" Do you know why the kid shot you?"

" Why on earth would that kid shoot me? _Me_, Bruce Wayne. Who _was_he anyways?"

" We will figure it out eventually, Mr Wayne," Gordon said as patiently as he could. " Thank you for your corporation. We will stay in touch."

" So can I leave?" Bruce asked, adding an impatient tone to his voice. " Because I got this date with this special brunette tonight. She's quite the killer, I heard."

It seemed like Gordon fought the urge to sigh." You had just gotten out of a surgery. You should stay here for a few days before going anywhere."

" And out of our hair," Bullock muttered, just before they left and Renee closed the door.

The moment they were gone, Bruce dropped the act and scowled. " I know you're there," he said, not even turning around as Superman swooped in through the window from behind.

" How are you feeling?" he asked promptly.

" This was nothing." Bruce dismissively shrugged. Not believing him, Clark listened to see if the injury hampered his breathing. Even with the finest doctors, there was a grinding wheeze and Bruce's breathing was slightly hitched and his whole body stiffened whenever he exhaled. He had been lucky that the bullet missed his lung by an inch. " Robin was either aiming for the wall behind me or for a non-lethal spot."

" So it was Robin," Clark prompted. " Was he brainwashed? Under some sort of magical influence?"

" No, he acted in his full capacity."

" A clone then? A robot maybe? Or - ?"

Bruce threw him a glare that made him stop. " Slade was manipulating him into doing this. I couldn't hear what he was saying. But it was enough to rattle Robin."

A sudden dread gripped Clark. " Do you think Slade knows your identity?"

He shook his head. " No. If he did, he would have directly taunted me over it." His brow creased in thought. " Find Young Justice and keep an eye on them. They are to not leave the base until I say so."

Clark frowned but complied. He disappeared with a flash of red and blue just as he heard the doctor's approaching footsteps, leaving Bruce to flop back down on the pillows with an exaggerated groan and a plan ready to blackmail the doctor with.

~.~.~.~

**Author's Notes:**

Seeing how Robin probably has never held a gun in his life (thanks to Batman's strict no-guns policy), he couldn't control the gun very well and unintentionally ended up hurting Bruce. Or at least, that's how I wrote it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Young Justice or any of its characters.

* * *

Kaldur already knew that Superman's instructions would be met with loud and unfavorable displeasure. And Wally's outburst came to no surprise of him or the others.

" What do you mean we're staying here?" he yelled, forgetting for the fact that he was yelling at _Superman_ out of all people.

The Kryptonian barely reacted, having already foreseen this reaction and was acting accordingly. " Batman suspects that Slade has specifically targeted you in order to force Robin to work for him," he said with the patience of a saint.

" So you expect us to just sit here and twiddle our thumbs?" Artemis scoffed.

" Robin is our friend," Megan argued pleadingly. " We can't just abandon him to Slade."

" No, we cannot," Superman agreed. " But any confrontation with Slade will end in his advantage. We must carefully consider our actions or in our desire to help Robin, we may be doing more harm."

" You just don't want to help Robin," Superboy growled unexpectedly. " What do you care for him anyways?"

This provoked a sharp look from Superman that everyone knew was a sure sign that a sore spot had been hit. Superboy met Superman's frown with his own glare.

" Robin is a respected member of Young Justice and one that I consider my friend." Superman stood up at his full height that he easily towered over all of them. The atmosphere darkened slightly and they collectively flinched. " Do _not_ suggest that I do not care for him. I want to catch Slade just as much as any of you. But we need to be cautious and plan our next move."

" We understand," Kaldur quickly said before anyone else could speak. He even nudged Wally hard against his side when the speedster wanted to continue to argue.

Superman nodded and the atmosphere considerably lifted and they felt they could properly breath again. " We will keep you updated on the situation." He gave a pointed look at Superboy, almost as if warning him to mind his tongue before he left the room.

Artemis immediately turned to Kaldur the moment she was sure that he was well out of hearing distance. " You're not suggesting that we actually listen to them, are you?" she asked, glaring at him if he said anything else otherwise.

" There's no way we're staying here," Wally agreed. _Second time I agreed with Artemis today, _he mused. _This must be the apocalypse or something. _

Kaldur pressed his lips together in uncertainty. " We cannot go against Batman's orders," he sighed.

" We can take them," Superboy confidently said. As if to prove it, he cracked his knuckles enthusiastically.

" Perhaps a less violent method?" he hastily suggested.

Megan, who had been quiet throughout their conversation, perked up. _Listen guys,_ she mentally told them, her voice loud and clear like she was whispering beside their ears. Her excitement and hidden restlessness were barely contained in her thoughts. _There might be something we can do without alerting the Justice League. _

~.~.~

_Clicky-click-click-tap-clack-clicky-clack-tap-tap-click _

Alfred was able to hear the sounds of fingers furiously flying over a keyboard as he descended down the staircase to the Bat cave, carrying a tray. " I thought that a bit of food would help you, Master Bruce," he said straightforwardly.

Bruce didn't even look up. " I'll eat later."

Obeying, Alfred stood silently next to him, eyeing the white bandages around his torso and faintly hearing the sharp intake of breath whenever Bruce sucked in his air to varying degrees of success. " While I appreciate your effort in finding Master Richard, perhaps you should be concerned about your breathing problem," he pointed out.

This time, Bruce looked at him. " I'll breath on the weekend," he promised. " You can cancel all my appointments for then."

" Understood, Master Bruce." Alfred glanced at the screen which was filled with various pictures and a dizzying display of words. " How is digging through all of Gotham's underground coming along?"

" Not well enough," Bruce admitted. His facial expression grimaced slightly as he leaned back into his chair. " There had been no previous sightings of Slade in Gotham for the past month. I also checked for his other known locations, but none were found. Nothing to indicate that he has been active for the past month. He must be working underground but he has covered his tracks well enough that I can't trace them back to him."

Idly tapping a finger to his mouth, Bruce frowned at the screen. "I want to know what exactly Slade is using to blackmail Robin. Robin is most definitely protecting _something_. Something that Slade has control over. Enough to make Robin feel that he is cornered and has no choice but to follow Slade. And that is precisely what Slade wanted."

" Perhaps the better question would be how to relinquish that control from Slade?" Alfred suggested.

Bruce pressed his lips together, glaring at the screen as if he stared hard enough, an answer would appear in front of him.

_Control._

_Blackmail Robin to do his bidding._

_Identity?_

_Attack civilians?_

_Tracking._

_Slade in power._

_Slade._

_Power._

Finally, he stood up. " I'll be heading out," he told to the expectant Alfred.

" An epiphany, Master Bruce?"

" There's someone I need to see. I'll be back late."

" The medical kit will be prepared and ready for your return, sir," Alfred replied without missing a beat, as he eyed the bandages while Bruce pulled on his suit, careful not to aggravate his injuries. " And do try to not tear the stitching too much. It will be a bit problematic to explain to the surgeon how that happened."

" I'll try," he said, already with a foolproof explanation at hand.

" And hopefully you will find Master Richard. It has been a bit dreary in here of late and I do miss his presence and ever charming wit."

A ghost of a smile appeared. A rare one to see Batman with. " I will bring Robin back," he assured.

Alfred nodded. " That is all I ask."

~.~.~

_Brilliant idea, _Wally gleefully thought to Megan as they inched along one of the mountain's secret tunnels.

They all felt her shy embarrassment. _It was really nothing, _she replied. _I mean, this base's territory counts as the ocean..._

_And of course, connects to Gotham City's harbor, _Wally silently whooped. _Yay for loopholes!_

_Keep moving,_ Kaldur urgently ordered. _We don't have a lot of time._

Artemis, who was crouching behind Wally, scowled at her complaining muscles. _If Mister Slowpoke here would hurry up._

_Hey! I see a light. We're almost there!_

" Yes!" Wally crowed out loud, bursting out from the tunnel, pumping his fists in the air.

" Will you be quiet?" Artemis snapped, just as the others crawled out. " Superman would hear - "

Only to see Superman himself hovering from the edge of the cliff.

" I heard your conversation after I left the room. And J'onn heard the rest." He turned a disapproving glance at Megan, who flushed and averted her eyes.

Artemis crossed her arms. " And what are you going to do about it?" she defiantly challenged.

The rest of them slowly shifted to a defensive position as well. They already made up their minds the moment they decided to leave Mount Justice. They were going to save Robin. And no one – not Batman or Superman or anyone else – would convince them otherwise.

Superman sighed deeply, muttering something under his breath (Superboy discreetly heard _Batman's going to have all our heads later_) before saying, " I thought you would trust us enough when we said that we had a plan."

" So you have a plan?" Wally interrupted impatiently. " To save Robin?"

" Yes. And I would have told inside if you hadn't sneaked out like this."

Megan's cheeks turned even redder and Wally sheepishly scratched his head in embarrassment. Even Superboy and Artemis looked a bit shamed.

Only Kaldur remained composed. " If we are still deemed fit," he began.

The corners of Superman's mouth twitched. " You have already proven yourselves fit a long time ago. But next time, put a little more faith in us."

He then tossed them all a black device tiny enough to fit in the palm of their hands. " What's this?" Artemis asked as she examined it.

" Communicators. We will keep in touch with this. I – and by extension, the Justice League – can't physically get involved or else Slade will know and then we will lose the chance to bring Robin back. The five of you can move more easily than us and you have with a better chance of not being discovered."

" The mission is simple. Locate Slade. Where we find Slade, we can find Robin also. However, this is strictly a recon mission. No direct contact."

" No contact?"

" We don't want to give Slade another advantage and we still don't know what Slade is blackmailing Robin with. As soon as you do locate the base, tell us and we will then decide our next course of action."

He gazed steadily at each of them. His eyes rested at Superboy. " Good luck. All of you."

~.~.~

With an exhausted sigh, Roy returned to his apartment. His part time job as a mechanic wasn't as good as he had originally hoped for. But it paid the rent and got him by. So he supposed that he shouldn't be complaining too much.

He was slinging his jacket and bag into the couch when a voice spoke from the shadows.

" Roy."

If it wasn't for his training, he would have jumped out of his skin. " What do you want, Batman?" he growled, turning around to see the Dark Knight crouching on his window still that he had no memory of seeing when he first entered his apartment.

" I have a mission for you," he said as if they were talking about the weather.

He scoffed. " In case you haven't realized, I don't work for you or the Justice League anymore."

It should have been the end of that. But Batman's voice was a low drawl, almost hypnotizing to the ears. " What if Robin was involved?"

He froze. Now that caught his attention. " Explain," he hissed.

" Tell me what do you know about Slade."

" Slade? What does he have to do with this?" he frowned. He heard about Slade a few times before from his old mentor and from Robin. Robin made no effort to conceal his loathing for the villain.

No, it wasn't simply loathing, Roy realized. There had always been a buried fear associated with Slade whenever Robin talked about him. The way his arms were always defensively crossed around his body. The way his eyes had flickered warily and with revulsion. The way he stayed a little closer next to Batman for comfort afterwards.

The signs had been there. He just never noticed. And after he left the League, there had been little to no chance that he would have remembered it.

" Slade manipulated Robin into doing his bidding," Batman continued. " Earlier today, they attempted to rob Wayne Tech and shot Bruce Wayne."

So that was what the radio and most of his customers were gossiping about. " And where were you when all this happened?" he demanded.

Even from the shadows, Roy could see how Batman's eyes had flashed darkly. " I was ... detained."

" It's suppose to be your job to look after Robin." His voice rose to an accusing hiss. " And now you're asking me to do it for you?"

" No. I'm not asking you to do that." Roy was surprised that Batman sounded weary for a brief moment.

But as soon as it came, it was gone. " Were you in Jump City for the past few weeks?" Batman suddenly asked.

" I wasn't." Roy frowned apprehensively. " Why does it make a difference?"

" It makes all the difference. That is why this mission is suited for you."

" Why not have Kid Flash or Aqualad do it?" Now his suspicions were growing and he didn't like it one bit. " Why come all the way out here for me?"

" Because I have a hunch and Young Justice already left the base without my consent, most likely heading towards Gotham as we speak. You are the only one who can take this mission. Do you accept?"

Roy hesitated. He had sworn when he had severed ties from Green Arrow and the Justice League that he would have nothing else to with them. Nothing they said or did would convince him to rejoin them, to follow blindly underneath their thumbs.

But damn Batman and his ridiculously manipulative ways because he couldn't think of any way to not agree to take this mission.

Because this was Robin and as much as he would deny it, he would do anything to get Robin and the others (he now suspected that the others were somehow being manipulated by Slade just as much as Robin, even if they didn't realize it) out of any sticky situation.

If it meant getting a chance to punch Slade across the face for putting Robin through this, then so be it.

" I'm in."

~.~.~.~

**Author's Notes:**

We need more Roy love.

And Alfred. More Alfred equals awesomeness.

The quote from Bruce about breathing on the weekend was taken from _Batman Beyond_'s episode "Curse of the Kobra: Part II" where Terry McGinnis was determined to find his friend Max despite his injuries. Ironically, Bruce was the one asking Terry about his breathing problem, mirroring Alfred here.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Young Justice or any of its characters.

* * *

Five motorcycles rumbled softly in the night air as they halted near an alley, careful to stay out of sight.

" Robin was last seen here," Superman was saying in their ears. " The Wayne Tech building at 1530 today. Aside from the broken windows and two security guards without any serious injury, they did no other property or human damage and took nothing."

" They didn't take anything?" Megan repeated in confusion.

" Wasn't today the major opening for that new military device that they've been talking about for weeks?"

" But why didn't they take it then when it was right there?" Superboy wondered out loud.

" Maybe it's to make a point," Artemis frowned. " Wayne Tech is one of the most prominent companies in the world. To attack the place is almost saying to the world that they could."

" And probably as a slap in the face to Batman," Wally added knowledgeably. " This _is_ his city." _Not to mention stealing away his sidekick right under his nose_, he silently added to himself.

" If Slade had been waiting for a chance to get Robin, he must have set up some sort of hideout in Gotham," Superman said. " Whether he is still there or not, that is another question."

" We'll find him," Superboy confidently said.

There was a slight pause. Wally wondered if Superman realized that Superboy had been a mixed state of exhilaration and agitation since Superman had personally assigned this mission to them and now spoke to all of them as equals. Including Superboy himself.

" I'll stay in touch," Superman coughed, sounding strangely awkward. " Remember, no contact with Slade and keep the communicators on."

" We will," Kaldur assured him and the little beep let them knew that Superman was gone.

" Now what?" Artemis crossed her arms, glancing over the looking buildings that looked much less frightening during the day than at night. _How are Batman and Robin able to work when it looks like even the architecture is waiting to get you?_ " We don't even know if Robin is long gone by now."

Wally groaned. " It's like a needle in a haystack."

" Megan, why don't you use your telepathy to check if Robin is in Gotham?" Kaldur suggested.

She froze, eyes going wide with the realization. " Hello, Megan! Why didn't I think of that?" she exasperatedly exclaimed, slapping a hand to her forehead.

Kaldur placed a hand on Megan's shoulder. " Don't blame yourself. In our haste to help Robin, we all did not think to our full capacity," he gently consoled her. Then, his voice returned to his firm, authoritative tone. " Can your telepathy extend across the city?"

" It should." She bit her lip. It was harder to do so when she did not already establish a link with her target. Much less knowing if her target was still in the city.

" Try it," Superboy encouraged.

" But if Robin is with Slade, we don't want to alert Slade," Artemis warned.

Megan nodded, taking a deep breath, and closed her eyes, focusing her energy on one single person.

_Robin?_

~.~.~

Creeping silently in the dinosaur exhibit, Robin hated the fact that the stealth skills Batman had trained him for were now being used for stealing.

The object that Slade wanted was nothing out of the ordinary from the rest of the priceless things from the Gotham Museum. It was a tiny golden reliquary that was said to house the ashes of a famous monk. He found that out when he and Bruce had attended a charity event in the museum a few months ago and a helpful tour guide (who was more interested at flirting with Bruce who cheerfully indulged her) explained to them the significance of the relic.

He found a nearby plug and carefully downloaded all the security cameras and information regarding the guard shift changes. He was in luck as there was a ten minute exchange with the guards in the room where the relic was.

Quickly scanning the camera and seeing the guards were chatting outside the room, Robin made his move.

He blended in with the shadows, unnoticed by the guards who were more occupied in talking about their girlfriends and tastes in coffee. Edging past a few statues which also helped in hiding him from view, Robin noted how the floor was lined with thin red lines, criss-crossing over the floor like a snake and coming to a tiny circle illuminating the relic towards the corner of the room.

A normal person might not have been able to find enough room to roll, somersault or flips with the red lines so close together and randomized all over the floor. But for the previous circus acrobat, it was nothing short of easy.

Robin landed perfectly in front of the relic, not a toe or hair out of line, careful not to use his bruised wrist from his earlier confrontation with Slade. The feeling of exhilaration prickled his skin as if he had just finished a performance.

And now, for the grand finale.

He carefully inspected the relic, noting a tiny alarm at the side of the glass barrier. Typing away at his wristband computer, he held his breath as the alarm's green light blackened, signalling that it was off. Cautiously, he raised the glass and his fingertips just brushed over the relic's cool surface...

_Robin?_

Shocked at hearing a familiar voice calling his name, Robin flinched, swinging his head around, half-expecting Megan's intangible form to appear before his eyes.

Unfortunately, in his panic, his foot crossed over the red line.

The alarm went off and already Robin could hear the shouts of the security guards hurrying into the room. He hastily put the relic in a small satchel around his shoulder before running like the thief he wasn't supposed to be.

His thoughts raced as he leaped over the guards, causing them to crash into each other and add to the pandemonium. But his thoughts were not on the robbery he had just committed.

_Did Megan find me? Were the others with her? Are they here in Gotham on Batman's orders? Or are they still in Mount Justice, trying to see if I was still alive? Or -?_

" Stop him!" someone yelled. " Don't let him get away!"

Robin dove between their legs, sending out batarangs to tie up the guards running towards him. They tripped and collided with each other, cursing and groaning, and out of Robin's pathway. He inwardly apologized to them and again for a second time as he knocked over a table and a suit of armour to distract the arriving guards.

The hallway that should have been freed from guards was suddenly crowded. " He's over here!" a guard shouted.

Skidding to a sudden halt, he turned heel and ran back the direction he came from, remembering he passed by a few vents, large enough to allow his escape.

But no sooner did he turn around, the corridor was surrounded by guards and he was trapped between their advancing numbers. The guard who Robin assumed was the head security guard judging from his uniform and big name tag gave him a haughty smirk even with the guard looking winded. " You got nowhere to run, kid," he sneered.

Now it was Robin's turn to smirk. Batman had trained him better than this to allow himself to get caught by a bunch of security guards.

With a mocking salute, he tossed a barrage of smoke bombs, just enough to buy him enough time to shoot his grappler through the glass window and escape through it. He could see just as the smoke cleared, the guards shouted at him and each other, vainly ringing more alarms and demanding where the police were. With a weightless soar, Robin leaped from rooftop to rooftop until he was certain he was far enough from the museum and away from the approaching sirens of the police.

Why he felt slightly out of breath and feeling the glorious rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins was something that Robin didn't understand. He wondered why he felt so thrilled after successfully evading all the alarms in the room. He didn't understand why he chose to return a smirk at the guard. Or why he decided to aggravate the guard by adding a theatrical salute.

The weight of the relic pressed against his hip, a thorn to his side. He wanted nothing more than to throw it away in disgust. The relic was nothing special and both he and Slade knew it.

But it was proof that he had completed his first successful robbery. The very thought made his stomach roll and the taste of bile lingered in the back of his tongue.

" Robin?"

He froze, like a child caught stealing candy. A whoosh of wind and a second later, he came face to face with his teammates.

Megan gazing with a mixture of relief, shock and confusion. Superboy with his clenched jaw. Kaldur's eyes narrowing. Wally making an odd sound in his throat. Artemis about to demand answers.

He should have known that they would have tried to find him and Megan's earlier voice was a foreshadowing of this meeting. But it still caught him off guard that his friends were standing in front of him, witnessing his robbery.

Wally gave a little laugh. Like everything was fine and it was just another hide and seek game that he and Robin used to play, just like the one they played a few nights ago. Like he was trying to ignore how Robin was dressed up like Slade and staring at them as if they were his enemy. Like he was trying to laugh away how angry Superboy looked and how Kaldur looked disappointed.

" Geez, Robin. Don't you think it's a little too early for Halloween?" he joked. " You could have done a better job with -"

Only for him to see a scatter of gas pellets and explosives at his feet.

A bang and a few seconds later, while the team was trying to breath normally again and rubbing away the burning sensation at their eyes, they found that Wally was tied up to the ground and Robin had finished delivering a swift kick to Megan's stomach, who was too shocked to react.

Robin mentally sent both her and Wally an apology. He hated playing dirty but he knew he was no match for all of them, especially when Wally's unmatched speed could pin him down in less than a blink of an eye and Megan's telekinesis could have easily send him flying or immobile.

And he couldn't afford to have any of them here, not while Slade was so close. So he calculated his plan and made his move when Wally was talking.

Megan dropped like a stone and Superboy let out a roar. He swung a punch at Robin, who was only able to dodge it with the knowledge of Superboy's fighting style and his own natural reflexes. Even when using his combination of rolling and redirecting the force of punch back to Superboy, it wasn't enough to soften all of the impact on his already injured wrist. He could hear the breaking of bones and he bit his lip to hold back the cry of pain.

He tumbled clumsily to the ground and Superboy charged again, ignoring Kaldur's call of "Wait, Superboy!"

" You are_ not_ Robin!" Superboy snarled, raising his fists to pummel this imposter who took the form of his friend and intentionally hurt his two friends. " Where is the real Robin?"

His blinded anger was all Robin needed to unhook the high density polyurethane foam pellet he had gotten from Roy a while back ago. He purposely decreased its strength to half, knowing Superboy didn't like being suffocated or being in really tight spots, before throwing it directly at him.

The foam immediately spread from Superboy's hands, snaking around his wrist and arms, curling around his legs. He fell, all tangled in the foam and unable to move, snarling out.

He barely had a second to catch his breath when he ducked to miss three arrows fired from a furious Artemis. Rolling on the ground, Robin winced as he was forced to use his injured hand to throw batarangs to evade Artemis' arrows.

" Why are you doing this, Robin?" Artemis yelled, firing arrow after arrow, her aim not wavering even if her voice did. " Why are you working for Slade? Why are you attacking us? Answer me, Robin!"

Her questions stung deeper than Robin would have liked. But a distraction was a distraction. And he knew from studying Artemis, it took her approximately 1.5 seconds to reach and pick up an arrow and another 1 second to aim and fire. The moment she released her latest arrow, Robin struck.

He scrambled up from his somersault, flinging two batarang explosives at her feet, not too close to do any serious damage but just close enough for the resulting explosion to knock Artemis unconscious and off her feet and scattering her bow and arrows haphazardly to the ground.

But no sooner did he throw the batarangs at Artemis, Kaldur had his water bearers out and they whipped Robin across the face and he stumbled to the ground. He threw another explosive batarang that Kaldur shielded with water and in the same instant, had another onslaught of water rush towards Robin in a wave that vastly crashed down over him.

Quickly, before he ran out of oxygen, Robin fired out his grappler to a nearby ledge and pulled himself out of the wave, his face scrunching up at his throbbing hand that held the grappler, his other hand holding the satchel with the relic. He stumbled near the border of the roof, spluttering and gasping for breath.

Kaldur was a formidable opponent indeed and Robin found himself smiling slightly at how strong his leader was. He didn't have the hesitation that plagued Wally and Megan. He would not let his emotions cloud over his judgement, like Superboy or Artemis. He would not fall for his tricks and deception and he knew Robin as well as Robin knew him. And now, Robin's energy was spent and left to deal with Kaldur at his full strength.

" Robin, I do not wish to fight you," Kaldur said in his ever calm voice.

In the shadow of the night, he didn't see that Robin's eyes flicked very briefly towards the ledge. All he could see was a sliver of Robin's masked face.

" You may have to," he replied softly.

" Talk to me, Robin. Tell me why you are doing this," Kaldur urged. " We can help you. If Slade has blackmailed you ..."

Robin interrupted with a chuckle that surprised Kaldur. Unlike his usual laughter, it was hollow and dead. " You can't help me," he replied with a bleak smile.

Behind Kaldur, he could hear Megan stirring and Wally almost done unravelling his binds. " Get out of Gotham while you still can," Robin coolly told him. " All of you."

Kaldur frowned. Those words did not sound like something Robin would say. " What do you - ?" he started.

But Robin already disappeared over the edge and out of sight.

~.~.~.~

**Author's Notes:**

*dodges flying stones and pitchforks* Yeah, it's been a while since I updated. My apologies! I've gotten a bit sidetracked with other works and real life has been distracting as usual. Hopefully, the next update won't be as late.


End file.
